Pissarro: The First Impressionist

This exhibition has been organised by the Art Gallery of New South Wales

Regarded by many as the father of Impressionism, Camille Pissarro (1830–1903) is the subject of this major retrospective exhibition. A radical painter and prolific printmaker, Pissarro had a profound effect on many of his contemporaries such as Paul Cézanne and Paul Gauguin among others with whom he worked in 19th century France. Despite being a principal exponent and tireless advocate of the Impressionists, Pissarro strangely never enjoyed the universal acclaim associated with others. His revolutionary approach to painting and innovative compositions however, greatly influenced the Impressionist and Neo-Impressionist movements and helped shape the future of Modern art.

Charting the breadth of the artist’s career, the exhibition assembles more than 100 works including major paintings, prints and drawings as well as lesser known works. Comprehensive in scope, the exhibition presents Australian audiences with an unprecedented opportunity to gain insight into Pissarro’s experimentation and artistic development.

The exhibition has been organised by a team of curators from the Art Gallery of New South Wales in collaboration with leading authority Joachim Pissarro, the artist’s great-grandson. Included in the exhibition are a number of works from the collection of the National Gallery of Victoria.